I recently noticed that one area that has been underrepresented in my explorations of sacred practices has been creativity. And so, in the hopes of beginning to rectify this gap, this week I explored the making of and meditating on mandalas. Background The word ‘mandala’ originates in Sanskrit and refers to a circle representing wholeness, … Continue reading Mandalas
This week, I returned to a Scripture reading practice. What sets this practice apart from the other Scripture-related practices I’ve explored in this space is that the primary focus is on the reading of the text, rather than on interpreting it or experiencing it. This week, I read from the lectionary, a set list of … Continue reading The Lectionary
This week’s practice is probably the most popular sacred practice in the West right now that many of its practitioners don’t think of as a sacred practice. It has ancient roots but is often treated like the next big thing. This week, I rolled out the mat and engaged with a yoga practice. BackgroundWhen we … Continue reading Yoga
After a few weeks of practices involving the shifting seas of my thoughts and thoughts-about-thoughts, I returned this week to the firm and fertile ground of ancient Christian spirituality. Specifically, I turned to the quintessential prayer of the Christian East, known as the Jesus Prayer, which combines elements we associate with prayer (petition and language) … Continue reading The Jesus Prayer
This week, I decided to tie a bow of sorts on the narrative theme of the past couple practices. Whereas the goal the other week was to identify the story going around in my head at any given moment, this week the practice was to, in the words of Pema Chödrön, a Buddhist nun and … Continue reading Feel the Feeling and Drop the Story
Matthew Root 